


Confession

by FixaIdea



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-27
Updated: 2016-02-27
Packaged: 2018-05-23 14:15:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6118990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FixaIdea/pseuds/FixaIdea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After all Han has been through by the side of Leia and Luke he was sure nothing could surprise or shock him anymore. When the twins decide to tell him about their father he must admit he was wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Confession

Han knew something was wrong the moment the twins entered the Falcon’s cockpit. He generally wasn’t very good at picking up emotional cues and reading people, but it was impossible to miss the tension in them. That, and the fact that about half an hour earlier Leia explicitly told him they needed to Talk, preferably someplace private was enough to clue him in that something was very much amiss.

It was the day after the battle of Endor, and after all they’ve been through together Han couldn’t even imagine what could be so shocking or terrible any more. He told Leia as much and got a very tense, bitter smile in return.

In hindsight agreeing to give Leia some time to, as she put it, compose her thoughts, probably wasn’t such a bright idea because it only let Han build up the wildest, most terrifying scenarios in his head. Was she breaking up with him? Was she sick? Was she _dying_?

He was somewhat surprised when she turned up with her brother in tow. They were holding hands and wearing an expression as if they were about to witness an execution. Or be executed themselves. Leia’s eyes were red and puffy and she looked ready to either bolt or shoot someone. Luke was simply exhausted and very, very sad.

‘Han’ Leia began gravely ‘We need to tell you something.’

‘Okay’ he said, gesturing towards the sofa beside the Dejarik table ’Did someone die or what? You two look like you’re coming from a funeral.’

‘In a way’ murmured Luke.

Han plopped down on the sofa, patting it beside himself. The twins gingerly took place on either of his sides.

‘Alright then, out with it.’

Luke and Leia exchanged a glance. Leia took a deep breath and exhaled loudly through her nose.

‘So. I already told you that we are siblings.’

Han nodded.

‘But that’s. That’s not all. You still need to know about our parents.’

‘I can’t tell you much about our mother’ said Luke ‘I know nothing about her. No name, no origins or what became of her. Nothing.’

He swallowed hard and fell silent. Leia took over.

‘I can recall some images. Feelings. Nothing specific. But… we know our father.’

‘Oh. Okay. That’s… good? Right?’

Luke merely dropped his gaze but Leia shook her head empathically.

‘It’s Vader’ she blurted out, quick and strained.

Han stared.

And stared some more.

‘Please say something…’ Luke whispered, still not meeting Han’s gaze.

‘I uhh… That’s harsh. I mean it musta’ been harsh finding out. I’m. I’m sorry.

Some of the tension visibly lifted off of the Skywalker siblings. Han huffed.

‘You didn’t think it was gonna change anything, right? On my side, I mean?’

But that must have been the crux of the matter because Leia sagged against him, obviously relieved.

‘So. How long have you known?’

‘Luke told me the day he left to confront him.’

‘I’ve known since Bespin.’

Han shook his head, still in shock. He let out an explosive sigh and pulled Leia into his side.

Luke made a move to stand and leave, presumably to give the others some privacy, but Han and Leia reached out and grabbed him all at once, pulling him back. He wavered for a faction of a second, then slumped against Han. Han could almost see something finally snapping inside him, and after a moment of stillness he went completely slack, hid his face in the crook of Han’s neck and let out a harsh sob.

Han tensed. Despite Leia’s perpetual anger and Luke’s openness and his tendency to wear his heart on his sleeves he’s never seen either of the twins cry before. Leia has come very close the other night, on the bridge when Luke left, and she may have shed a few tears on Bespin when Han was being lowered into the freezing chamber, Han couldn’t tell for sure. Either way, a full, sobbing breakdown from either of them was something Han never expected and wasn’t ready to witness.

Now, wedged between them, he felt like a very awkward, out-of-practice mother hen. Luke was hugging him with both arms, Leia clutching at his back with one hand, her brother’s arm with the other.

‘He saved me’ Luke muttered through his tears ‘He saved my life and it killed him.’

He drew a shuddering breath and went on.

‘On Bespin he nearly beat me to death, cut my hand off and told me he was my father. He expected me to join him. After all that. And now. He turned me in to the Emperor, taunted me, tried to break me, threatened everyone I love. And then he saved me. And now he’s dead.’

Han blinked. He tried to work out what to say to that, if he should be saying anything at all, but then Leia spoke up.

‘When I first met him in person he tortured me for information and made me watch the destruction of my home.’ her voice was low, tired, almost empty.

‘The second time he tortured the man I love to trap my brother. He had no idea who I was.’ now she was speaking directly to Han ‘He only found out he had a daughter too yesterday. And now he’s dead.’

Han still had no idea what to say. ‘Sorry’ or ‘Well, that sucks’ seemed entirely too crude and inadequate, so he stayed silent. He pulled them both a little closer, squeezing Luke’s shoulder and Leia’s waist.

After a while Luke stilled, though fat, slow tears were still periodically running down his cheeks. Leia reached out to brush one off. They sat in silence, both of them a dead weight against Han. Now that the storm seemed to have passed Han found he wasn’t all that averse to this whole hugging-and-comfort thing. He let himself relax, dropped a kiss into Leia’s hair and stroke his thumb over Luke’s shoulder. He wasn’t sure if he was imagining things or if Force-sensitive folks could actually sort-of project their feelings, but he could have sworn he was feeling the siblings’ love for him seeping into his bones. Fierce, protective loyalty and affection from both, with an added layer of exasperation and desire from Leia.

After what seemed to be an eternity, Luke finally stood up.

‘Thanks, Han’ he said quietly. He held out his hands. Leia and Han each took and squeezed one.

‘S’ all right, kid.’ Han muttered, as Luke smiled and turned to leave.

‘Think you’re gonna be all right? Both of you?’ Han asked Leia after Luke disappeared behind the door.

Leia stared off into the distance for a few moments. After a while she sighed and turned back to Han.

‘I think so’ she said ‘With time. But we will be all right.’


End file.
